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Post by Amoroso on Jan 4, 2006 21:26:48 GMT
Dear All,
It looks like Aphrodite had a little help in her ability to seduce and tempt. Evidently she had a retinue that included a goddess that doesn’t get a lot of press, but who was considered a powerful force in ancient Athens. Her name was Peitho, Goddess of Persuasion.
Peitho’s talents, which included verbal persuasion, were considered fundamental to the democratic society of Athens, as she helped to keep union and harmony in the city. She was seen as a necessary element of persuasion that kept the citizens from fighting with each other. This is where we get the tradition of oration and debate we have in politics now. Of course, she can be used to seduce and corrupt or elevate and educate.
I “discovered” Peitho this past September, when I was studying Sappho and writing volumes about the experience of knowing C, while reading the amazing academic exegesis of Sappho by Anne Carson, called “Eros the Bittersweet." Carson maintains that Sappho’s choice of Greek words was ordered to reflect the physiology of the moment. She explains the erotic effect of the oral tradition that certain vowel sounds can have upon the LISTENER, but not necessarily the READER. Carson wrote:
”A listener listening to an oral presentation is an open force-field into whom sounds are being breathed by the poet. Written words, therefore, do not present such an all-persuasive sensual phenomenon…The same irresistible sensual charm, called “peitho” in Greek, is the mechanism of seduction in love and of persuasion to words; the same goddess (Peitho) attends upon seducer and poet!”
Upon reading these words I was immediately swept back into feeling the relationship with C, both as his singing teacher working with him vocally (breath, physical coordination, vowels, text) and as his student as he worked with me on Swedish pronunciation (breath, coordination of lips, teeth, tongue, vowels, text..) And of course, I had to look at her in our synastry and composites. These are all within 1 degree or less:
My Peitho conjunct his Pluto Trine our Sun/Moon conjunction Square his Mars/Pallas/DC conjunction His Peitho trine my Venus (talk about romancing within an inch of your teeth) Square my Chiron/Eros
In the Composite Peitho is conjunct our North Node!!!!
I have yet to look at her with other charts. Where does she appear for others?
Blessings, Amoroso
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Post by blueorchids on Jan 5, 2006 16:05:38 GMT
Amoroso Thanks kindly for your description of Peitho. Whenever I read what you write, I either find myself pausing and turning my head (slowing down pleasantly and unusually) or getting a bit teary eyed. With my Gemini in mercury and sun, I can relate to the verbal persuasion piece of that. Here is what I found in digging about my charts: Husband House 7 Leo Mars 5 58 Leo Peitho 5 44 Leo Venus 4 18 Me Neptune 7 Scorpio Peitho 12 Scorpio My Peitho squares my Husband's Moon at 0 orbs and squares his Uranus at 0 orbs My Husband's Peith squares my Venus at 0 orbs. Doc has a Water trine with Peitho (of course ) 23 Peitho Scorpio 27 Ascendant Cancer 24 Sun Pisces Doc's Peitho opposes My Venus -- 1orb My Peith also conjuncts His Neptune at 3 orbs What perhaps is truly fascinating is that my children have very significant placements with this asteroid. My young daughter has Peitho closely conjunct my Gemini Sun and Mercury. My son has it in Aries closely conjunct my Moon and his own moon (incidentally riding the top of his chart). We have a very close intense relationship that overflows with conversation. I thought it was interesting to see all the squares with my spouse and the Venus opposition with D.
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Post by svenskasfinx on Jan 6, 2006 11:50:05 GMT
Yes..once again, nice find..
Mine is in my 6th house, retrograde at 14 degrees Sag. Now it doesn't really look all that interesting in my chart, but then I have alot of things at 14 degrees.. at least around or about that area due to my NN/SN at the 14 degree axis of Aries/Libra.. with Baccus conjunct the South Node at 14 degrees Libra.. making a sextile to Peitho.. as well as that aspect to the Nodes...thus meaning something about a "fated degree" I note also it is in a wide sextile to Erato at 11 degrees Libra and Sappho and Terpsecore at 16 degrees Libra.
Maybe its possition says, "its an everyday thing" so much so I don't NOTICE its use.
My husband has it in conjunction to his Sun/Promethius combination at 0 degrees Gemini in his 12th house.. maybe he doesn't know he's using it either...it certainly was a suprise.
Thanks for sharing this one,
Take care all!
svenskasfinx
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Post by jamma on Jan 6, 2006 20:33:19 GMT
Yes, Amoroso, thanks again -- Peitho explains SO MUCH! ...
My first "real boyfriend" (i.e. sex mate) had his Peitho conjunct my Moon/Mercury conjunction in Pisces, and he talked me right out of my knickers! What I didn't realize at the time was that while Peitho whispered, "we are sympatico," the guy's true feelings (Moon in Sag square my Moon/Merc) were quite different ... We were together for 3 years (there were lots of other "exciting" aspects going on -- my Sappho opposite his Eros) before I woke up to the truth that he didn't love me ... Not that I was the "innocent babe" (ha! -- we were both dying to lose our virginity) ... and my own Peitho at 16 Aries trine my Lust at 16 Sag formed a grand trine to his Sun at 15 Leo (conjunct my vertex) ...
Peitho is a great addition to the romance asteroid list ... Cheers, J ...
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Post by Juliet on Jan 7, 2006 1:48:34 GMT
Hmmm. Peitho seems to add to the Mercury-Pluto conjunction energy my last bf and I had. His Peitho conjunct my Saturn conjunct his Venus, and my Peitho conjunct his Sun, exact trine our Pluto-Mercury conjunction at 22 deg Virgo. We liked each others voices.
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Post by amie on Jan 11, 2006 12:46:46 GMT
Very interesting I looked up my family I have it on the cusp of the 7th house 29 Scorpio I really resonate with some things Scorpy Moon said about voices I find men's voices very very important and could not be involved with a man who did not have a lovely voice and I tend to like men who are' smooth' Even my friends have nice voices!
I know someone who can persuade you to believe anything and who is also an actor - he has it in 3 in Libra after Pluto in Virgo Another person also has it in 3 conjunct Uranus in Scorpio He is also an actor but not so much into creativity with truth My daughter has it on her 1/2nd house cusp with Pallas in Aq She sells in a sophiscated lifestyle shop and is very good at' soft sell ''just by being around and nice I was enchanted by her voice as soon as she began to talk
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Post by Kris on Jan 12, 2006 10:21:17 GMT
It's a wonderful finding. Thanks Amoroso.
I just read this post and immediately checked Peitho sitting right on my mercury in sag in 6th house. It makes a leaving conjunction to both my Sun and Sat in 5th house. Oh.... it answers why I talk a lot to my children and 'persuade' them to be sincere with their work.
Whenever the topic arises, I dominate by speaking so much about how to maintain good health and fitness. More interesting is the exact square between Mercury Peitho conjuct and Moon Psyche conjunct in 3rd. While examining the patients I am very intuitive(Psyche) about the diagnosis; I continue to talk so long as I feel there is more to get a clear picture. I 'persuade' my patients to speak more about their problem to help me diagnose them better.
I studied the synastry of 3 couples who had cladestine (predominantly sexual) relation. In all three cases Peitho is prominently placed with almost exact aspect with Juno, Pluto or personal planets.
Thanks again Amoros. This revelation goes a lot away in improving synastry studies.
Kris
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Post by primamateria on Jan 12, 2006 10:43:43 GMT
hi, just checked this asteroid in my natal chart and found it in the ninth at 16 pisces, square mars in 7 at 16 sag. No wonder men don't have much luck persuading me. lol.
Peitho sounds familiar... wasn't she one of Athena's handmaidens? I seem to recall something about her abilities to save one from the Erinyes (the furies).
will have to look it up I suppose!
peace, pm
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